I have had it on my list to write the post on one of my favorite local stores, The Navy Lobster in Greenwich, Ct for so long. This little gem is right off the Post Rd and it is filled to the brim with treasures. Mary Beth, the owner, curates her charming space with unique finds from all over the globe. From soaps and candles from Positano to southern embroidered cocktail napkins. If you are searching for the perfect hostess or birthday gift, Mary Beth has you covered. After just one visit you will quickly see why it is a go-to in Greenwich and the surrounding areas.
Here is Mary Beth’s version of the back to school bag. Her pouches are fabulous for cosmetics, pencil and pens, and even masks. The block print masks are soo great too and made of the softest, thinnest breathable cotton!!!
I am such a fan of blue and white accessories. I love that monkey candleholder and those vases…….
Here is the place to go for a book bag….one is prettier than the other…
All of the french soaps are sooo amazing….
These “Art Of” book make great gifts and I love that tissue box holder, so cute in a college dorm room!!!!
Navy Lobster has a never ending selection of cute note pads and cards…
The Bill Cunningham book is high on my list and I love these petit appetizer dishes..so chic!!!
Love the throws too…..
The selection of cocktail napkins and guest towels is also huge…
Not to get too political!!!!!
Love these napkins and hand towels!
One of the most exciting things in life is buying a home, whether it be your fist home, or your dream house. You start to imagine furnishing and accessorising every room of the house, and then you spot the price of a cushion and you realise that you will have to change your expectations when it comes to the big shopping trip.
Once you’ve finalised your mortgage or rental agreement, your next steps include furnishing the house you’ve just moved into. The process is a big one, but it doesn’t have to be stressful, not if you plan properly. The internet will give you article after article on how to furnish your house with Feng Shui in mind and it’ll tell you how to balance colours and lights. When it comes down to it, though, you need to consider your budget. You can read all the articles in the world, but your budget is what will determine how you can furnish your house. So, with this in mind, let’s check out what steps you can take to furnish your house on a budget.
Know What You Want
When you walked through the house for the first time, you likely visualised exactly what colour scheme you wanted. You could even picture the appliances and the sofas, beds and bedside tables. It comes to life in your head, so make a list based on what you need from room to room. Once you do this, you can write down the smaller items, too, from lamps and bedding to rubbish bins and cushions. You have to make these lists so that you know what to look for when you are actually shopping, and then you can fit it all to your budget.
Get What You Need First
On those lists you just wrote, put stars next to the things that you absolutely need in the house. Everyone has those dreamy ideas of what to have in their homes, but you really don’t need eleven billion throw pillows – those are wants. The things you need are the big ticket items, such as your bed, your sofa and your refrigerator. You may even decide you need a freezer separate to the kitchen. Once you budget for the things that you need, you can see what you have left for the things that you want.
Plan The Actual Budget
You could be saving for a long time to get what you want for your house, but you need to know what the actual budget will be for your house before you go shopping. You can window shop online and compare the things that you need over several stores if you are looking to find good deals. You can even get great options from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk and find some discounts and vouchers to make your furniture shopping experience a pleasant one. Either way, you have to know what your budget for furniture will be so that you can stick as closely to it as possible when you’re buying. To that end, it’s a good idea to try to avoid getting credit or store cards for furniture. If your monthly budget isn’t particularly high, the last thing that you want to do is add to it and have to pay more.
Be Smart With Furnishing
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to put something in front of every wall in the rooms of each house. Go through your priority furniture list and start buying the things that you need. When the budget starts to run out, save for the next room or the next furniture piece. Continue on from there and start with ONLY the things that you need.
Watch The Sales Cycles
Every single store goes through cycles of putting items up for sale or adding discounts to things that they sell. End of summer, Christmas, Black Friday – you name it, there’s a sale for it. If you aim to buy much of your furniture through the sales, you can save yourself a lot of money along the way. You could even look at buying last season’s models in the sales, which will make your money go further.
Go For Second-Hand
Facebook Marketplace is an invaluable resource when you are furnishing a house for the first time. You can find some gems on there, as well as those in car boot sales and antique stores. Thrift stores and flea markets both offer tons of items at cut-down prices, and these can either be excellent options for your house, or they’ll tide you over temporarily while you save for the better options.
Choose Quality
Don’t let your choices for the houses be overtaken with quantity over quality. Yes, you can fill a room really cheaply, but you can fill a room with quality furniture and take your time instead. Quality furniture will last you for years, but too much cheap furniture will just rinse your budget and break down early. Don’t worry about buying end tables that are expensive, either, not when you can use the cash on a high quality mattress. You spend more of your life in your bed than you do resting a coffee on an end table!
Filling up your first home with new furniture takes some time, but embrace it! Take your time and get it right, and you can avoid sacrificing your dream furnished house. You should feel settled and you don’t have to get into debt to do it. If you take a targeted approach with furnishing your home, you can ensure that you have the perfect house for you. It will never be the perfect house for those in interior design, but it will be the perfect house for you and that’s what counts. Choose your budget and live to it carefully – it will make all the difference in the future.